Should You Put Your GPA on Your Resume?

Put your GPA on your resume if it’s 3.0 or higher and you’re a student or within about two years of graduating, or if a posting asks for it. Leave it off if it’s below 3.0 and not required. Fewer employers screen by GPA now: 42% plan to in 2026, down from 73% in 2019, according to NACE.

Do employers still care about GPA?

Less than they used to, but more than zero. NACE’s Job Outlook 2026 survey found that 42% of employers plan to screen candidates by GPA, down from 73% in 2019. More employers are moving to skills-based hiring: 70% now say they use it.

Two things are true at once. Most employers won’t filter you out over GPA. But a big minority still will, and you won’t always know which ones. Whether or not they screen on GPA, employers say they strongly consider your major, industry experience, and internships.

What GPA is high enough to include?

3.0 is the line most people use, and for good reason. Among employers that do screen by GPA, NACE has found 3.0 to be the most common cutoff.

Some fields expect more. Competitive finance, consulting, and some engineering programs often look for 3.5 or higher. If you’re targeting those, a 3.2 might be better left off unless they ask.

What if your major GPA is higher than your overall GPA?

List the stronger one, and label it clearly: “Major GPA: 3.6/4.0.” This is common and completely fine, especially if your early semesters dragged your overall number down. Just don’t call it your GPA without the label. If an employer checks your transcript later, the numbers need to match what you wrote.

How should you format your GPA on a resume?

Keep it simple and in your education section:

B.S. in Marketing, State University, May 2027 GPA: 3.6/4.0 | Dean’s List (4 semesters)

A few rules:

• Put it on the same line or right under your degree, not in a separate section.
• Include the scale (“/4.0”) so there’s no confusion.
• Use two decimal places at most, and don’t round up past what your transcript shows. A 3.46 is a 3.46, not a 3.5.
• Keep it out of tables, text boxes, and side columns. Applicant tracking systems can misread those. Here’s more on beating ATS resume screening without gaming it.

When should you take your GPA off your resume?

Once you have real work experience to show. For most people, that’s after your first full-time job, or about two to three years after graduating. At that point your results at work say more than your grades did.

What if a job application asks for your GPA and it’s low?

Answer honestly. Many employers can verify it with your transcript, and getting caught inflating it is far worse than a low number.

Then make the rest of your application do the heavy lifting: relevant projects, internships, part-time work, and skills that match the posting. If an application sets a hard minimum you don’t meet, it’s probably a screening rule, and your time is better spent on roles without one.

What can you list instead of a GPA?

If your GPA isn’t helping, these can carry the education section:

• Dean’s List or Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude)
• Scholarships, especially merit-based ones
• Relevant coursework (three to five classes tied to the job)
• Major projects, capstones, or research
• Certifications related to the role

Projects and experience usually matter more than any of these. If you’re light on experience, here’s how to get an internship with no experience.

How does the WayUp app help?

Your WayUp profile is part of every application you send through the new WayUp app, so make sure your education section there matches your resume, GPA included or not. Then follow the companies you’re interested in and get an alert the moment they post a new internship or entry-level role.

FAQ

Should I put a 3.2 GPA on my resume? Usually, yes. It clears the most common 3.0 cutoff. If you’re applying to fields that expect 3.5 or higher, you can leave it off unless they ask.

Should I put my GPA on my resume if it’s below 3.0? Generally no, unless the application requires it. Use honors, projects, and experience to make your case instead.

Do I include high school GPA on my resume? Not once you’re in college. Your college education replaces it.

Can employers check my GPA? Many can, through a transcript request or education verification. Always report it accurately.

Be one of the first applicants. Download the WayUp app on iOS or Android and turn on alerts for the companies you want to work for.